Goalpara district
Goalpara district ( ) is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. The district headquarters are located in Goalpara town. History It was a princely state ruled by the Rajbongsi Kings and the then ruler of the undivided kingdom. Presently the erstwhile Goalpara district is divided into Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, and Goalpara district. The district is mostly inhabited by Koch Rajbongshis and Muslims and widely spoken language is Goalpariya. The name of the district Goalpara is widely said to have originally derived from `Gwaltippika` meaning `Guwali village` or the village of the milk men.A brief history of Goalpara District The history of Goalpara goes back to several centuries. Based on the Chinese traveler `Hiuentsang` report, Sir Edward Gait had concluded that the erstwhile capital of the state of Kumar Bhaskar Varman was either in Goalpara district or in Cooch Behar. The district came under British rule in 1765. Before this, the area was under the control of the Koch dynasty. In 1826 the British accessed Assam and Goalpara was annexed to Assam in 1874, along with the creation of district headquarters at Dhubri. On 1 July 1983 two districts were split from Goalpara: Dhubri and Kokrajhar. On 29 September 1989 Bongaigaon district was created from parts of Goalpara and Kokrajhar. Geography The district headquarters are located at Goalpara. Goalpara district occupies an area of , comparatively equivalent to South Korea's Jeju-do. Economy In 2006 the Indian government named Goalpara one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the eleven districts in Assam currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF). Political Divisions There are four Assam Legislative Assembly constituencies in this district: Dudhnoi, Goalpara East, Goalpara West, and Jaleswar. Dudhnoi is designated for scheduled tribes. Dudhnoi is in the Gauhati Lok Sabha constituency, whilst the other three are in the Dhubri Lok Sabha constituency. Demographics According to the 2011 census Goalpara district has a population of 1,008,959, roughly equal to the nation of Cyprus or the US state of Montana. This gives it a ranking of 444th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 22.74 %. Goalpara has a sex ratio of 962 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 68.67 %. Muslims 441,516 (53.71%), Hindus 314,157, and Christians 64,662. Toursist Attractions The Goalpara district is endowed with natural beauty and archaeological treasures. The important tourist spots of the district include: Sri Surya Pahar, a very significant but relatively unknown archaeological site in Assam, a hill which showcases the remains of cultural heritage of three important religions of India, Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. Dadan Hill has a Shiva Temple on its top. The temple was established by a general of the army of King Bana of Sonitpur named Dadan. The mystical hill is surrounded by mythological stories related to the bygone era. Pir Majhar is situated at the heart of the Goalpara town, a tomb of a saint named Hazarat Sayed Abul Kasem Kharasani. He is a saint who was respected by Hindus and Muslims alike. Hulukanda hill is located at the heart of Goalpara. Sri Tukreswari hill, Paglartek Baba at Barbhita, Urpod beel of Agia, Dhamar Risen beel of Lakhipur are some other attractions of the district. References External links * Official web site of Goalpara district Category:Districts of Assam Category:Goalpara district Category:Established in 1876 Category:Minority Concentrated Districts in India